Crack UPSC CSE - GS with Unacademy

UPSC Latest Updates

- UPSC Prelims Result 2025

- UPSC Prelims Paper Analysis 2025

- UPSC Result 2024 - Final Result

- UPSC Prelims examination 2025 was conducted by UPSC on the 25th of June 2025.

- UPSC Calendar 2025 released by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The commission has announced the dates of all the examinations including the civil service exam for the year 2025. Check out the details here.

What is UPSC CSE - GS?

The Civil Services Examination (CSE) by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is one of the most competitive exams in India. The UPSC CSE-GS is the General Studies paper for this examination, conducted every year to test the intellectual acumen and academic expertise of candidates to appoint officers in All India Administrative Civil Services.

There are two stages of the UPSC examination - Prelims and Mains. While the Prelims comprises two GS papers, the Mains consists of four GS papers. Hence, there are a total of six GS papers that together comprise the largest share of the CSE examination marks.

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How to Apply for UPSC CSE?

• To apply, candidates need to check the official website for recent updates on the main webpage, candidates can find the pdf of UPSC CSE Notification for the year 2025. 

• Then candidates need to fill in another form namely the UPSC IAS Application

• Then candidates need to fill up their Registration Form by following every step as provided by the Notification file.

• Candidates must have important documents such as Adhaar Card, Voter Card, Pan Card Driving License, Passport, or some alternative form of identity proof that is issued by the Central or the State government. 

• There are further instructions provided for those students who wish to not continue with their applications online in the Preliminary Examinations. For detailed information, candidates must take note of Appendix IIB which is provided in the Exam Notice. 

• The candidate needs to upload the ID card through scans during the online filling of the application forms. This card would be used for further cross-references in later steps in the process. 

UPSC CSE - GS Prelims

The UPSC CSE Prelims consists of General Studies (GS) Papers I and II. It is merely a screening test, meaning the marks obtained by the candidates are not counted towards the final score. But candidates have to score cut-off marks in the exam to qualify for the next stage, i.e. the UPSC CSE Mains exam.

Paper I - This covers current events (international and national), Indian History and National Movement, World and Indian Geography, Indian Polity, Economic Development, etc.

Paper II - Also known as the GS (CSAT) exam, Paper II covers topics such as problem-solving, decision-making, comprehension, general mental ability, basic numeracy, interpersonal skills, etc. Candidates need to obtain at least 33% marks in this paper to qualify for the UPSC CSE Mains exam.

UPSC CSE–GS Prelims are conducted offline at designated exam centres. The exam follows a 'pen n paper' mode and comprises objective type questions. Candidates need to mark the answers in an OMR sheet.

UPSC CSE–GS Mains

The UPSC Mains comprises two types of papers - Qualifying and Merit ranking. Paper A and B, namely the Language Paper and English Paper are qualifying exams. The marks obtained in these papers will not be considered to evaluate the merit. All other Papers (Paper I - Paper VII) will be evaluated for merit purposes. Paper II, III, IV, and V consist of the four General Studies or GS papers.

GS Paper II – Indian Heritage, History, Culture, Society, and Geography of the World

GS Paper III – Constitution, Governance, Polity, International Relations, and Social Justice

GS Paper IV - Technology, Biodiversity, Economic Development, Environment, Disaster Management, and Security

GS Paper V - Integrity, Aptitude, and Ethics

Candidates can choose the medium of writing for the UPSC CSE GS Mains exam. They can either opt for Hindi, English or pick any other language from the list of languages listed in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution. Candidates meeting the specified cut-off marks in the Mains exam are summoned by the UPSC for the final Personality Test/Interview Round.

UPSC CSE-GS 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Learners must fulfill specific eligibility criteria to appear for the UPSC CSE - GS examinations. The eligibility criteria are given below.

UPSC CSE – GS Eligibility Criteria

UPSC CSE - GS 2026 Important Dates:

UPSC CSE - GS 2026 Syllabus

Learners who wish to appear for the UPSC CSE-GS papers can refer to the detailed exam syllabus available on the official website of UPSC. Unacademy also provides the complete UPSC CSE-GS syllabus to help Learners prepare comprehensively for the exams. They can download the complete syllabus to begin their preparation.

The UPSC CSE-GS syllabus consists of two parts - Prelims and Mains syllabus. The Preliminary syllabus consists of Indian History, National Movement, World Geography, Social and Economic Development, General Science, etc. The Mains syllabus consists of Ethics, Aptitude, Technology, Biodiversity, Disaster Management, Polity, Governance, Social Justice, Indian Heritage, Culture, and various other subjects.

Along with the required syllabus books, Learners can also use the reference books recommended in the UPSC CSE-GS study material.

UPSC CSE-GS 2026 Exam Pattern

UPSC CSE - GS Prelims Exam Pattern

The UPSC CSE-GS Prelims consists of two papers - Paper I and II.

• Paper 1 consists of 100 questions with multiple choice answers
• This is an objective-type paper with a total of 200 marks
• Each wrong answer carries a negative marking of 1/3 of the allotted marks for that question. Any question with multiple answers is treated as a wrong answer too
• There is no negative marking for questions not attempted by the candidate
• It is mandatory for the candidate to appear in this paper

• Paper 2 consists of 80 questions with multiple choice answers
• This objective-type paper is of 200 marks
• There is negative marking for wrong answers. Each wrong answer will have a negative marking of 1/3 of the allotted marks for that question
• Providing multiple answers to a question is considered a wrong answer
• Learners must appear for this paper compulsorily
• Paper 2 is a qualifying examination, where Learners must obtain 33% or higher to clear it

UPSC CSE - GS Mains Exam Pattern

The UPSC CSE-GS Mains consists of nine papers, out of which two papers are only qualifying in nature. The marks obtained in seven papers and the interview together are considered for preparing the final merit list.

• Compulsory Indian Language Paper with a total of 300 marks
• It is a qualifying exam

• English Language Paper with a total of 300 marks
• It is a qualifying exam

• Essay type of exam consists of 250 marks

• General Studies Paper I consists of 250 marks

• General Studies Paper II consists of 250 marks

• General Studies Paper III consists of 250 marks

• General Studies Paper IV consists of 250 marks

• Optional Paper I consists of 250 marks

• Optional Paper II consists of 250 marks

Also check: Free UPSC Test Series

UPSC CSE-GS: Previous Years' Question Papers with Solutions

Learners preparing for the UPSC CSE-GS 2026 can download previous years’ question papers from the official website of UPSC. The website consists of question papers along with the solutions. These will help aspiring Learners prepare well for the examinations and understand the overall weightage of the syllabus. Additionally, they can also undertake mock tests on Unacademy to get an idea about their preparation status.

Study Plan to prepare for UPSC prelims and mains 2026

UPSC CSE-GS is one of the most prestigious examinations in the country. However, it is incredibly difficult to qualify for the exam. Learners must formulate an efficient strategy to prepare sufficiently and ace the examination. By creating a timetable, Learners can prioritise the syllabus based on their convenience and understand which topics are easier or more challenging to learn. In such cases, choosing the right guidance to prepare for the UPSC CSE - GS exam will be extremely helpful. Unacademy is a learning platform where Top Educators help Learners qualify the UPSC CSE - GS exam through Interactive Live Classes and over 40 exams. With the help of the right study material, previous years’ question papers, and mock tests on Unacademy, Learners can master the subjects comprehensively and excel in the GS exams Check out topics to prepare for UPSC prelims and mains

Given below is a detailed, seven-month study plan to help UPSC CSE-GS Learners prepare strategically for the papers:

If you are starting from zero, check out this article on How to prepare for UPSC from zero level

How to choose the right Live Class for UPSC CSE - GS 2026?

When preparing for a crucial exam like UPSC CSE-GS, appropriate guidance is critical. The long road to success begins with laying a firm foundation and that includes choosing Top Educators for precise learning. Enrolling in Live Classes on Unacademy can help Learners take the first step to prepare for the UPSC exam. Through Unlimited Access to Interactive Live Classes, Unacademy provides well-structured and exceptional academic expertise to help Learners get a firm grasp over the exam syllabus.

Here are a few critical factors to consider when choosing the correct online learning platform and Educators for UPSC CSE-GS:

Syllabus and study material available on the platform

Before enrolling for a Live Class, make sure you check whether the platform provides the latest syllabus and study material. In addition, get all the necessary information about how to appear for the mock tests, access the study material, get the latest and updated syllabus before enrolling for the course.

Success record

Understanding the platform’s success record is essential in evaluating if it will help you excel in the exam. Check its track record by taking feedback from current and past students, inquiring about the platform’s study materials, facilities, mock exams, and how they’ve helped them succeed in acing the UPSC CSE-GS papers.

Available faculty members

As mentioned before, proper guidance is the paramount. Learners need to look for Top Educators who can guide them the right way to ace the UPSC CSE-GS exam. The Educators on Unacademy offer essential tips and teach through Interactive Live Classes so that Learners acquire the proper knowledge to ace the GS papers.

Books to Refer for the UPSC CSE - GS Prelims Preparation 2026

• Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
• India's Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra
• NCERT XII (Modern Indian History)
• The Spectrum of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir
• NCERT XI (Ancient & Medieval)

• World Atlas (Orient Black Swan)
• NCERT VI Geography – X (Old Syllabus)
• World Physical Geography with PYQs by Sudarshan Gurjar
• Certificate Physical Geography – G C Leong
• NCERT Geography XI, XII (New Syllabus)

• NCERT Polity IX-XII
• Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth

• NCERT Economics XI
• Economic Development and Policies in India – Jain & Ohri
• Indian Economy by Nitin Singhania
• Economy for UPSC Civil Services Examination and All Other Competitive Exams by Dr. Mrunal Patel

• Contemporary World Politics (NCERT XII)
• Current Affairs

• Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by R S Aggarwal
• Tata McGraw Hill CSAT Manual

• Unacademy UPSC PYQ book

Books to Refer for the UPSC CSE - GS Mains Preparation 2026

• Social Change and Development in India (NCERT)
• Ancient History by R.S Sharma (Old NCERT)
• The modern history of Bipin Chandra (Old NCERT)
• The spectrum of modern India by Rajiv Ahir
• Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
• Politics in India since Independence (NCERT)
• Indian Society (NCERT)
• World History NCERT by Arjun Dev (Old NCERT)
• Fundamentals of Physical Geography (NCERT)
• India: Physical Environment (NCERT)
• Fundamentals of Human Geography (NCERT)
• India since Independence by Bipin Chandra (Old NCERT)
• India People and Economy (NCERT)

• India Year Book
• Indian Constitution at Work (NCERT)
• Introduction to the Constitution of India by D.D. Basu
• Indian Polity by Laxmikanth
• Governance in India by Laxmikanth
• Contemporary World Politics (NCERT)

• Indian Economy for Civil Services Exam by Ramesh Singh
• Indian Economy NCERTs of class 11th and 12th
• Indian Economy by Uma Kapila
• India People and Economy (NCERT)
• For Science and Technology
• Economic Survey and Fiscal Budget
• ARC Report on Disaster Management
• India Year Book

• Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude for Civil Services Examination by G. Subba Rao
• IGNOU Study Material for Ethics Course
• Justice: What's the right thing to do? - By Michael Sandel
• Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude for IAS General Studies by Niraj Kumar
• Psychology NCERT class 12th book
• Administrative Reforms Commission Report on Ethics

UPSC CSE Admit Card

Mantras for Cracking UPSC CSE - GS 2026

Cracking a competitive examination like UPSC CSE-GS requires a considerable amount of grit and intellect. Here’s a list of tips and tricks to ease the tension of aspirants and help them increase the possibilities of cracking the UPSC CSE-GS 2026.

Formulating a strict schedule

Time management is a major ‘make it or break it’ factor when it comes to the UPSC CSE - GS papers. But with a steady focus and rigorous schedule, Learners can work hard every day to prepare effectively and increase their chances of success. This may include studying notes for a few hours each day for a particular duration, starting preparation from months ahead, etc.

Evaluating and understanding the examination pattern

The UPSC portal mentions the complete examination pattern. Go through it, familiarise yourself with the syllabus, question patterns, and structure your preparation plan accordingly.

Structuring your study plan efficiently

Given how vast the UPSC CSE-GS syllabus is, the preparation process may differ for everyone. Some may entail follow-ups with specific study material; others may need particular notes to understand better. It is, therefore, crucial to choose the amount of material you can comfortably fit into your schedule and structure your studying plan accordingly.

Practise tests

Solving previous years’ question papers and undertaking mock tests on Unacademy is significantly helpful. These regular tests will help you familiarise yourself with the UPSC CSE-GS examination patterns and analyse the areas that require improvement, and help you prepare more efficiently.

Updating your current affairs knowledge

Several questions in the UPSC CSE-GS papers are based on current affairs. You must be well-versed with the latest happenings and have up-to-date awareness of both national and international affairs. Developing a habit of reading daily newspapers, surfing news websites, etc., can help in this significantly.